Printable Biography of David Zach

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David Zach is one of the few professionally trained futurists on this planet, having earned a master’s degree in Studies of the Future from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. As a futurist, Dave has worked with over 1200 associations, corporations and colleges offering insights on the personal and professional impact of strategic trends. In other words, he gives funny and thought-provoking talks about the future of technology, economics, business, education, demographics and society.

Dave previously worked at Johnson Controls and Northwestern Mutual Life in the roles of environmental scanning and strategic planning. He also taught Future Studies in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Since 1987, he mostly sits and read everything he can. He gives talks about 50 times a year and really wishes he would write more. He is the author of two books, so far . . .

Dave is a member of the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center Advisory Council. Past activities include: Future Milwaukee Advisory Board, Community Advisory Board for public radio station WUWM, board member of eInnovate, member of the downtown Rotary Club of Milwaukee, board member of the American Institute of Architects–Wisconsin, chairman of the Goals for Greater Milwaukee 2000 Education Committee and co–chair for Design Milwaukee.

Keynote Descriptions

An Owner’s Guide to the Future

Do we really want vacuum cleaners that can argue with us? Will the automation of health care lead to the automation of caring? And, how come teenagers can pay attention to ten things at once and still be, like, bored? David Zach asks some funny questions. In his thought-provoking tour of modern times he’ll offer some useful answers that will get people talking. With a friendly style and a little bit of midwestern charm, he’ll help you face the future with a solid sense of hope and inspiration.

As one of the very few professionally trained futurists on the planet, David Zach blends the funny with the profound in this surprisingly practical keynote to help you decide what really matters. You’ll rethink the balance between change and tradition – and the need to hold on to that which shouldn’t change. At the end you’ll find yourself either thoughtfully quiet or engaged in some of the best conversations you’ve ever had at a meeting. Dave may not be the futurist you expected, but he is the one you’ll remember.
 
Innovative Futures: Trends with Innovation and Design

Internationally acclaimed futurist David Zach will offer insights on the art and science of innovation and design: the very lifeblood of 21st century economics. Today has been called the Age of Design, with innovation driving growth and change, but there’s also a danger that it’s the Age of the Technician where more and more people are not allowed to be creative. How we promote, discuss and embrace design, innovation and the entrepreneurial mindset will decide the sort of future we’ll really have.

Using the latest trends with nanotechnology, communications, information, logistics, architecture and even teenagers as a backdrop, Dave divides his talk into Innovation Pro and Innovation Con to examine what works to build the Age of Design and what doesn’t. This futurist will have a few ideas about an innovative future that will surprise, may upset and will probably even delight you.

Strategic Futures

Whether you’re an owner, a free agent, a manager or just somebody who likes to think a lot about the future, you need to pay attention to both the bottom line and the horizon. With a focus on the practical and the possible, this is a down-to-earth look at key strategic trends: from the rise of intelligent money to the fall of national borders, from virtual workplaces to virtually unlimited information, and even from the automation of healthcare to the automation of things you’ve never believed possible. If you need to do some deep thinking about choices, forecasts and how you’ll navigate tomorrow, let internationally renowned futurist David Zach be your guide.

Designs on the Future: Trends, Traditions & Choices

"If you want to survive, you're going to change; if you don't, you're going to perish. It's as simple as that." (Thom Mayne, FAIA, 2005 Pritzker Prize Winner, 2005 AIA National Convention)

Futurist David Zach disagrees. It's not that simple. Survival means being able to hold on to the best of the past and making sure we learn from the lessons of history. Not all change is progress and not all tradition is outdated. Survival and progress depends on our ability to choose between change and tradition.

This presentation is a fascinating (and slightly irreverent) look at the trends and traditions affecting design and the roles that architects, designers and planners can have over the next ten years.

Workshop Descriptions

Taking the Future Home: the Tools, Skills & Perspectives of a Futurist

Yes, you too can be a futurist! Join futurist David Zach in this follow-up session to learn the skills, tools and ideas that build a stronger sense of confidence for the coming days.

Topics include:
1. So just what is a futurist?
2. Exploding the myths of futurism
3. The value of skepticism
4. Long-term vs. short-term thinking
5. The value of humor and play in strategic planning
6. The difference between fads and trends
7. The difference between the timely and the timeless
We’ll try some hands-on efforts with mindmapping, cross-impact analysis and scenario writing. Reading materials and future-related websites will be shared. (45 to 120 minutes)

Ask the Futurist!

This is a unique opportunity for you to join futurist David Zach in a lively conversation on the trends and traditions from his keynote. Join us as we talk about the practical and intriguing implications of these ideas and issues for your life and work. Please bring your notes, questions, ideas and imaginations to class. (This is more of a Q&A follow-up to the keynote so people can ask question and generate in-depth conversations. 45 to 120 minutes)

Workshop notes:
1. Workshops are only offered after a keynote, not as an independent presentation and never before a keynote.
2. Workshop materials and activities can be combined with a keynote into a single presentation for an interactive keynote - lasting up to three hours.